How much is enough??

[GMac]

Originally Posted by seafox

Or maybe you could become a pirate

Why would anyone in their right mind want to be a NZ Prime Minster??????

[kchumley]

Why not work as you cruise?

[seafox]

Originally Posted by GMac

Why would anyone in their right mind want to be a NZ Prime Minster??????

Nah, she is an ugly wench

[Luders33]

Seems like most places where there is work there will also be a lack of available moorage. A full bank account could ruin an "adventure," but so could the cost of large repairs to the boat.

[Therapy]

One major concern for me would be where to leave the dingy for all those hours worked.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Therapy

One major concern for me would be where to leave the dingy for all those hours worked.

Very good point

Dave

[seafox]

Deflate it and put it in your briefcase.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by seafox

Deflate it and put it in your briefcase.

I am not important enough to have a breifcase.



This is one of my most serious concerns if I was to work while on a hook.

The other is dragging.

It would make for a bad day.

[Silverado6x6]

I'm 51, been a diesel mechanic most my life and for the last 13 years I have been working at a concrete batch plant in Alaska where I pretty much run the place, in the winter I do preventative maintenance on all the trucks and during the summer construction season I drive a concrete mixer.

But I only average $50K a year but I own my own property of a big house and 8 acres, I have a 2002 Silverado dually that has a couple payments left so I am basically debt free, and my average take home paycheck in the summer per week is between $1,000-$1300. Some people will scoff at that because they live in the big city and were born with a silver spoon in their mouth. I cannot ever aspire to having a mega yacht but I can easily get one over 60' that may look a little used, not have 5 jacuzzies or a powerplant out of a locomotive.

My favorite hero when I was a teenager in the 70's was Travis McGee that lived on a houseboat the "Busted Flush" at the fictional Bahia Mar marina in Florida (I think there is a marina called that now) and over the years I read and reread all his novels, later I adopted Clive Cussler's books. I would love to just sit on a large dock queen and drive truck occasionally.

[GMac]

Originally Posted by Silverado6x6

Some people will scoff at that because they live in the big city and were born with a silver spoon in their mouth. I cannot ever aspire to having a mega yacht but I can easily get one over 60' that may look a little used, not have 5 jacuzzies or a powerplant out of a locomotive.

Dealing with many superboats, crews and owners you don't want one. It's a very funny little world they live in often. Some are great but many only have the boat to off-set a tiny male appendage I'd suspect. And what's more, most of the owners would know the bow from the stern if their life depended on it.

I like your thinking, good on you.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Silverado6x6

... My favorite hero when I was a teenager in the 70's was Travis McGee that lived on a houseboat the "Busted Flush" at the fictional Bahia Mar marina in Florida (I think there is a marina called that now) and over the years I read and reread all his novels ...

Travis McGee is a fictional character who lived at the real Bahia Mar (Slip F-18).

The Bahia Mar Yachting Center was completed in 1949, with slips for 400 vessels - making it the largest marina in the world.
On February 21, 1987, the Bahia Mar Marina dedicated a Literary Landmark in honor of the "Busted Flush," the home of Travis McGee - a fictional hero and salvage consultant created by mystery author John D. MacDonald. Travis McGee's character was "born" in the first book in a series, entitled The Deep Blue Goodbye, published in 1964. Travis McGee remains immortalized with a brass plaque at Slip F-18, Bahia Mar, Lauderdale.

TRAVIS McGEE is a a self-described beach bum who won his houseboat in a card game. He's also a knight errant who's wary of credit cards, retirement benefits, political parties, mortgages, and television. He only works when his cash runs out and his rule is simple: he'll help you find whatever was taken from you, as long as he can keep half.

[Silverado6x6]

One of my pet peeves over the years of living in rural Alaska is that its really difficult to buy items from a certain era, quality or uniqueness. One must possibly travel (like me) to a larger (or only)city such as Anchorage to shop.

Or buy off the internet.
We have a Walmart Supercenter and soon a new Target, we used to have a mall but they foolishly sold out to Target and thus we lost a lot of small shops plus a "mall" to hang out during the winter with its little shows and events.

but what really irks me is a trade name satellite book store that goes "duh" when I mention the name John D. McDonald. I guess its off to Amazon, I need to get the full set and re-read them over, its also hard to find quality novels anymore too.

[kchumley]

Originally Posted by Therapy

One major concern for me would be where to leave the dingy for all those hours worked.

A very good friend of mine lived aboard and worked in the VBIs for 10 years. His solution to keeping his dink was to have the least attractive one in a group so that his would not be the first pick to a thief. He also never used an outboard. Don't let the fear of loosing a dink prevent you from following your dreams.

I have encounted a lot of marinas that will allow you to leave a dink if you will let them know and maybe contribute a few dollars to their bottom line. Places like Key West also have a boat taxi service that is very reasonable.

[s/v Breakaway]

Go now! (Assuming you want to.) If it is just you or you and your wife/partner/SO, you can get a nice, older 35-footer and head out. With your maintenace skills you should be able to pickup work along the way, at least on the US coast. If that seems to work well, drop the hook for a year, stock up the crusising kitty, than move on again.... repeat as necessary.

[Randyonr3]

Just ran across an old friend at the Oakland Boat show over the weekend.. He left the San Francisco Bay area about 4 years ago with around $400.00 in his pocket..
He's been working and playing as he traveled and is now in Panama..
He met a guy comming through the cannel and crewed his way back up for the boat show and is leaving next week on his way back down..
He said he still had a good portion of the money left and is on his way to cross the pacific... He's sailing a Cal 29, Its not a real fancy boat but his remarks are that "It gets the Job done".